Shloka 9

पारिजातहरणम्, द्वारकाप्रवेशः, षोडशसहस्रविवाहः

Pārijāta, Return to Dvārakā, and the Lord’s Many Forms

Devanagari script

ततः शङ्खम् उपाध्माय द्वारकोपरि संस्थितः हर्षम् उत्पादयाम् आस द्वारकावासिनां द्विज

Transliteration

tataḥ śaṅkham upādhmāya dvārakopari saṃsthitaḥ harṣam utpādayām āsa dvārakāvāsināṃ dvija

Translation

Then, stationed above Dvārakā, he blew his conch; and, O brāhmaṇa, he awakened a sudden surge of joy in the hearts of all who dwelt in Dvārakā.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/कालवाचक (from then/thereafter)

• शङ्खम्: conch
• शङ्खम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपाध्माय: having blown
• उपाध्माय: Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-ध्मा (धातु) + क्त्वा-ल्यप् (प्रत्यय: य)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund) रूपम्: उपाध्माय (=उपध्माय) ‘having blown’

• द्वारका-उपरि: above Dvārakā
• द्वारका-उपरि: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; उपरि-शब्दप्रधानम् (indeclinable): द्वारकायाः उपरि (eng: above/over Dvārakā)

• संस्थितः: standing
• संस्थितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हर्षम्: joy
• हर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्पादयाम्: produced/caused
• उत्पादयाम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पद्/उत्-√पादय् (धातु; causative of पद्)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त धातु (causative stem उत्पादय), लिट्-पर्याय-परिप्रयोगे ‘आस्’ सह: उत्पादयाम् (आम्-प्रत्यययुक्तं कृदन्त/आमन्त-रूपम्) — periphrastic perfect construction with ‘आस’

• आस: did/was (aux.)
• आस: Kriya (Auxiliary/सहायक-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary)

• द्वारका-वासिनाम्: of Dvārakā’s inhabitants
• द्वारका-वासिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: द्वारकायां वासिनः (eng: of the residents of Dvārakā)

• द्विज: O brāhmaṇa
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; ‘dvija’ used as an address within the narration)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To bless His city and devotees by proclaiming His auspicious presence through the conch, strengthening communal joy and protection.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Auspicious order and confidence in divine guardianship within Dvārakā’s social world.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s audible signs (like the śaṅkha) awaken collective joy and faith, making devotion a shared, embodied experience in community.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use sacred sound (nāma-japa, kīrtan, temple bells) to steady the mind and uplift the household/community atmosphere.

Vishishtadvaita: Embodied devotion through sound affirms that material senses can be sanctified in service to Bhagavān, consistent with a world that is real and God-pervaded.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Dvārakā
• Yādavas (implied by Dvārakā’s residents)

FAQs

What is the significance of the conch (śaṅkha) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, the conch-blast functions as an auspicious divine signal—announcing the Lord’s presence and assuring protection—thereby generating collective joy and confidence among Dvārakā’s people.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s actions in the Dvārakā narrative?

Parāśara presents Krishna’s simple act—standing above the city and sounding the conch—as a public, transformative gesture that changes the emotional and moral atmosphere of the community, highlighting the Lord’s rulership and guardianship.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu, appearing as Krishna, is shown as the sovereign protector whose mere presence and auspicious sound dispel fear and kindle devotion—an expression of divine lordship central to Vaishnava theology.